'05 XLT Sport changes

[jrally]

I'm not sure how much or how many changes I'll make to my Exp, but figured if I posted, I might be more likely to make changes. Today was the first item, I mounted a set of '09 4x4 front tow hooks. What good is a dirt toy hauler without a hook point for stuck vehicles..? I'll update soon with a photo. If anyone is curious, they weren't direct fits. I had to space the front bolt down 1/2" to compensate for the sloping frame rail. Cut up a couple of small pieces of aluminum bar stock I had lying around.
When I did this mod on my F150, I had to take the front bumper off. These hooks, $30 shipped off Ebay, came with the factory bolts and nut plates. So it was a bit easier. I used stainless safety wire as a fish tape to pull the nut plates around the main bumper and into the frame rails. Slick idea, I thought.

-Jon

 

[jrally]

Not horribly exciting, but I finally took a couple pictures of the tow hooks I installed. They seemed a lot bigger off the Exp. I also wanted to share the joy of this cheap trunk organizer I found last fall. I bought it to use as a helmet box in my rally car, they fit perfectly. So, for $10 each I bought another on for the Exp., perfect for jumper cables, trailer hitch, frisby, towel gloves and even a spare square for another helmet...

-Jon

p.s. glimps of the rally car in the second picture...

 

[Expedition]

nice changes, my truck came with tow hooks but i've never used them... is your's a 4x4?

 

[jrally]

No, mine is 2wd. I'm pretty sure only the 4x4's came with tow hooks.

-Jon

 

[Expedition]

yeah that's true mine is a 4x4 i've been thinking of switching to chrome tow hooks

 

[jrally]

Just go slow enough not to drop the nut plate down into the frame rail, where you would have to remove the bumper to get it back. I did one bolt just put in a half dozen threads, by finger first. Then the second bolt tight enough to keep things from shifting, but not final tight.

-Jon

 

[ELVATO]

yeah that's true mine is a 4x4 i've been thinking of switching to chrome tow hooks

Let me know if you need to get rid of one (or both). I figure I need to at least have one in case I ever need to get pulled.

 

[jrally]

It was a little like X-mas again this week. Hawk HPS pads showed up for the rear brakes that need replacing pretty soon and today I picked up the adjustable Bilsteins for leveling out the front end soon. It'll be about a month before I get the shocks on, but nice to have them in hand ahead of time.

-Jon

 

[jrally]

I got my first chance to use my Exp for the reason I own a full sized anything... I used it to tow my new, crazy toy out to play in the desert. I'm lovin it even more than my truck, tows great, handles great and putting the trailer back in the drive was a piece of cake with the hatch open.

-Jon

 

[rick chitown]

hey jrally, enough about the expy, tell me about that car? An old cellica that you lifted?? Is it 4x4 on a truck frame, or what exactly did you do there?? Curious!!

 

[jrally]

It's not on a truck chassis. I custom re-built everything about the car, taking ques from the Group B era of WRC and off-roading in the SW. The rear end is a trophy truck style trussed axle hangin from custom 5 link suspension to allow 9" of travel, a bit more than Toyota designed into the car. The front end is a 3" drop subframe to mount 3" longer custom a-arms.

-Jon

 

[Expedition_xlt]

It's not on a truck chassis. I custom re-built everything about the car, taking ques from the Group B era of WRC and off-roading in the SW. The rear end is a trophy truck style trussed axle hangin from custom 5 link suspension to allow 9" of travel, a bit more than Toyota designed into the car. The front end is a 3" drop subframe to mount 3" longer custom a-arms.

-Jon

Pretty Awesome .....I am in Arizona too best place to have Toy's!!!!

 

[grantikal]

thats a nice celica.

 

[jrally]

Thanks. It's still a work in progress, fun project so far...

-Jon

 

[jrally]

I picked up and installed a drop in K&N last night. It doesn't make a huge difference in power, but certainly a nice little bump that gives my Exp a smoother power delivery. It was always so switch like from a dead stop. Two weeks from now, I'll be installing the front shocks, replacing the muffler with something less restrictive (and about 30lbs lighter from the looks of the stock one) and new rear brakes (Hawk HPS and rotors). I'm looking forward to the changes, especially the shocks.

-Jon

 

[jrally]

Well, I made my trip out to the coast over the weekend, but we didn't get around to getting the new Bilsteins installed. I got the Hawk HPSs and new rotors on the back along with a Magnaflow 5x8 oval x 30" long muffler installed. Anyone else have the stock rear pads check up their rotors. Mine were pretty ground down and very little pad material left. The new muffler sounds great and gives a nice kick to the power and fuel economy. Sorry, no pics, the camera was up inside, while the Exp was on the rack.

-Jon

 

[jrally]

No changes, just a trip into the desert...







At least I still know the LSD is working well...

-Jon

 

[jrally]

Had my first trouble with my Exp. Engine code, P0306, #6 misfire. I took it to the dealer, since I bought an extended warranty. Failing coil and a couple of bad plugs. So, they are replacing all plugs and the coil. Of course it's not covered under warranty, on my bill now... Hopefully, it runs like a brand new rig when I get it back tomorrrow. EDIT: Got it back, nice and smooth idle now, and throttle response seems much smoother then since I've owned it.

-Jon

 

[jrally]

The Exp is running great now, smooth idle (after cleaning the TB bore) and getting the new spark plugs and one coil pack. I've also run a bottle of X44 (or something like that) injector cleaner through one tank of gas. This weekend, I modified how the front end looks, less "Soccer Mom", more my style. I bought a pair of the black background "off-road" edition headlights and painted my entire grille mat black. I'm not 100% sure about having painted the chrome black too, but for now, I really like it. What do you all think?
-Jon

 

[Expedition]

The black lights look good, but I'm a little biased. What prepping did you do to the chrome grille surround? and did you install the Bilsteins and level the front?